Monday, December 16, 2013

Sweet snowballs and snowy travel

My daughter and I enjoyed making (and eating) the
delightfully, tasty chocolate snowball cookies featured in the latest issue of Living Without magazine as
a new addition to our variety of holiday treats. Pamela loved rolling the
chocolate balls of dough in powdered sugar to give them all a nice dusting of
"snow." While she gave the cookies a sugary coating, I
was reminded of the way real snow altered our travel plans during our recent
trip to New York. The wintery weather put my preparation skills to the test
while traveling with my son, who is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, wheat,
milk, egg, soy, sesame and mustard, along with having asthma.

My husband and I, both from New York, were excited to give our
children a taste of Christmas in New York City. They had a blast taking the
train to the city, riding in taxis, walking through the crowded streets in awe
of the tall buildings and lavish window displays on Fifth Avenue, visiting the
huge tree at Rockefeller Center, watching the skaters glide across the ice, and
doing some shopping, taking a turn making music on the famous piano at FAO
Schwarz. The Radio City
Christmas Spectacular was a highlight for all of us. Both of my children
were enchanted by the show that showcases the famous Rockettes dancing in
perfect time, along with Santa and even a 3-D feature. I was thrilled to share
an experience with my kids that had given me precious memories during my childhood.

I was especially glad that Joseph was able to navigate
Manhattan without letting his food allergies dim the magic. Of course, a lot of
planning and precautionary measures went into making that happen. I employed the preparation that is highlighted in the story I wrote for Living Without magazine about road
trips with food allergies. For example, before we hit the road for our
drive to New York, I cooked and froze more than enough meals for
Joseph for the length of our trip. Safe snacks, homemade muffins, bread and
crumb cake that I had sliced and placed in individual containers, along with
plastic cutlery, paper place mats, our safe hand soap, and plenty of wipes were
packed. I ensured that all of my son's prescriptions were full and made sure his
nebulizer with battery and car charger made it into the bag.

Each day we took the train to the city, we packed my
husband's laptop backpack with Joseph's lunchbox and nebulizer. He wears two
Auvi-Q epinephrine auto-injectors and I carry two EpiPens, along with his
inhaler, at all times. It was important that he felt confident that we had
everything he needed so that he could just enjoy his first trip to Manhattan.
And he did. Both of my kids were so excited with all of the new things they
were experiencing and they loved the time they got to spend with family when we
weren't in the city. We had some fun bowling outings with their cousin, aunt,
uncle and grandpa. That quality time with family was just as special as the
bright lights and big buildings of the city.

But the winter weather threw a slippery wrench into our
travel plans when we saw the forecast for snow and ice blocking our path back
to North Carolina. The smart choice was to stay a day or two longer so we were
not driving while the snow and ice was making the highways treacherous. But did
I have enough food and medicine to keep Joseph fed and safe for an extended
stay? This was the first trip where
the fact that I always pack full prescriptions came in handy, so he had plenty
of his maintenance and emergency medication. The food was another story.
Thankfully, I had packed extra meals so he had enough for two more days with full
meals and he still had plenty of snacks. I figured if necessary, he could have chips and applesauce for lunch on the drive home and he'd be
fine.

So we decided staying two more days was the best option,
until another storm was forecast, again right in our path, again starting early
in the morning preventing us from beating it. When we added yet another day to our
stay to wait out the second wintery blast, I visited the local natural food
store where I found the brand of gluten-free pasta Joseph eats. It was easy to boil water in
the microwave in our hotel room to make pasta that he could eat mixed with his applesauce, giving me two more meals for
Joseph. I don't think he would have complained with chips, applesauce and a few
cookies for lunch, but I felt better that I could extend his meals until we got
home.

My kids were full of glee while they stomped around,
gathering and throwing handfuls of the little bit of snow that fell where we
were staying north of Manhattan. The extra time we stayed gave my kids a fun,
snowy experience to add to their memories of the trip. I'm glad they enjoyed
the snow, but for now, I'm happy to enjoy snowballs of the chocolate, sugarcoated
variety.

About Me

I am a freelance writer and editor, along with being a mom to two wonderful children. My Taste of Allergy-Free Living blog focuses on my experiences caring for my son, who is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, milk, egg, soy, sesame, mustard, strawberry, watermelon and cantaloupe, and has asthma. Wendy's Writing Workshop is a blog featuring pieces written during our homeschool writing workshop, whether written by my kids or me.
Samples of my writing for Living Without's Gluten Free & More: http://bit.ly/10vHC6g
Samples of my writing for the Cary News: http://bit.ly/1s5dqoU

Medical disclaimer

The content of this blog is based on my experience caring for my food-allergic son. It is not meant to provide any medical advice or to promote any particular brand. It is essential that you check to ensure that any brand is safe for you or your child. Everyone's medical needs are different, so it is important that you contact a doctor if you need medical advice.